Research

Environment and planning is a making a strong contribution to real world research that is focused on improving in a securing the objectives of sustainable development, better practices in marine, rural and urban planning and community development and collaboration. Our outlook is international but our aim is to improve the knowledge of our environment and our professional practice in Ireland.

Currently our main areas of research are:

SEA and AA for Renewable Energy in Ireland

This project is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency. We are working with partners to provide new guidance for planners, developer sand communities in preparing and using Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment for renewable energy plans and programmes in Ireland. The principal investigator of the DIT team is Dr Conor Norton and he is joined by Dr Ken Boyle, Professor Aidan Duffy and Niamh O’Reilly of DIT Bolton Street. You can read more about the project here.

Marine Spatial Planning

This project is also funded by the Environmental Protection Agency. We are working with partners to provide entirely new guidance for policy-makers, planners and a range of other stakeholders in preparing the first National marine Spatial Plan for Ireland. The principal investigator of the DIT team is Dr Conor Norton and he is joined by Dr Deiric Ó Broin. You can read more about the project here.

Wind energy in the rural and urban environment

We are working on research exploring the local environmental and planning considerations around developing wind energy in the urban and rural environments. The research comprises two distinct project, both of which are a larger European research action (COST). Dr Ken Boyle is on the management committee for Ireland in the project which is investigating interactions with the rural environment and Conor Norton is on the management committee for Ireland in the project which is investigating interactions with the urban environment

Doctoral research is an important part of our discipline. We currently have PhD researchers working on research in the areas of: